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I am having a really odd problem.

About a week ago my comp decided it refused to boot to linux. Fixed it, it broke. Fixed broke again, Fixed again seemed to stay. Decided to boot in windows, didn't work. Reinstalled linux (different distro) same issue. Reinstalled XP (took unusually long). Got a few things running and things started to crash. Full virus spyware test to be safe nothing. Reinstalled XP never connected to a network still crashing, linux not booting again. Reinstalled slackware, everthing runs just fine, just have to recreate my MBR cosntantly to boot.

Replaced HD, same issue. Replaced Motherboard and video card, same issue. Have tried installing with 2 different XP's (pro and MCE) 2 different liux distro's (Slackware and Fedora 4). Used 2 different DVD-Roms for install. Still having the same problem. Tried different ram, same issue. My sempron 2600 with 1G ram and ATA 100 drive installs XP faster (almost twice as fast) then my AMD 64 3700+ with 1G ram and SATA drive (umm that shouldn't happen).

Only thing I havn't replaced is the CPU, however if it were the CPU I suspect would would have more problems then just booting in linux.

I have tried every complex out of the blue thing I can think of. I have probably missed something stupid and simple. What have I overlooked?

Ram or power supply. Check fan on CPU as well.

Kind of off the wall, but possibly the power supply is being weird or dirty power coming from your outlet?
Maybe try using a different outlet, see if that changes anything. If you have a spare power supply, try switching it out.

The last few really bizarre issues we've had here were somehow associated with the power supply... like half-ass installs of XP over and over into my bro's computer that kept crashing. Replaced everything in his system, still couldn't get XP to install right, then FINALLY went and bought a new PS on a whim while at the store. Problem solved, everything working as it should be now.

Every weird install issue I have had has been bad ram or power supply.

Tried multiple outlets, different powersupply as well as different cables on my powersupply (interchangable detachable cables ftw).

Different ram already tried, also ran two different ram tests on them both passed with no errors. Oh also ran diag on all my Hs's with multiple diag utilities all passed each. Tried IDE and SATA different cables as well as different ports.

Have tried PC2100, PC2700 and PC3200 ram as well. Have pulled apart all my spare boxes on this one.

I vote ram, ram always fucks up my installs after upgrades.

Call Ghostbusters.

I hate to say it Gid.
Your box is possessed and is rebelling until you give it a sacrifice. If I were you, I'd go to the store right now and buy a can of Spam to stick on top of it to start appeasing the tech gods.

Seriously though, time to switch out the CPU or start messing with fans like Toss suggested Damned gremlins.

Man that is a doozy, whew. Did you replace the motherboard with the same model? Maybe needs a BIOS flash to support a newer AMD core? Cant think of anything basic you missed, you replaced just about every piece of the comp. At least since you have a functioning comp you have a test bed.

Sounds like you are going to have to take her completely apart and rebuild. Id rigorously test every part in your good comp of course, memtest the RAM etc.

This is gonna sound stupid, but what about ESD? Has it been cold there lately? Use a mat or a strap? I know in New Orleans I never bothered cause it was so humid, but here in Salt Lake, every time I move I get shocked.

Guess it could be a heat issue. Im sure you are no rookie, was the heat sink applied well to the CPU? Thermal paste spread very very thin and uniformly and all that?

Replaced my ECS with an ABIT SLI board, did it intentionall to swap from AGP to pcie and test a different video card.

Always wanted an excuse to pick up a dual core. Guess that my next step, though I still just cant see any way the CPU is causing these issues without having noticable issue in linux.

This has to be one of the wierdest issues I have come across.

Make sure the fan is making good contact with the CPU. Maybe regrease it.

What's the deal with this?

Cleaned all my fans, repositioned a few of them while I was at it. Comp runs about 10 deg cooler and hasn't had a problem since. Looks like it was a heat issue. Tempted to liquid cool it soon anyway.

On a side note, upgrading my linux kernel fixed the MBR issues I was having, though lowering the temp was a side bonus of this who thing.

Gidan wrote:Cleaned all my fans, repositioned a few of them while I was at it. Comp runs about 10 deg cooler and hasn't had a problem since. Looks like it was a heat issue. Tempted to liquid cool it soon anyway.

On a side note, upgrading my linux kernel fixed the MBR issues I was having, though lowering the temp was a side bonus of this who thing.

This is your second box, sir. Denied. Use the $$ for, oh I dont know...food Love you, dont hit me

She will come around, I get cranky when I cant tinker with my computer.

Darcler wrote:On a side note, upgrading my linux kernel fixed the MBR issues I was having, though lowering the temp was a side bonus of this who thing.

This is your second box, sir. Denied. Use the $$ for, oh I dont know...food Love you, dont hit me

Do both of you smoke, which is horrid enough with a baby, and another on the way? Cut that off, and add it to the pooter cash!

We are both quiting, and this is actually my primary machince, she just didn't realize it.

It's not that easy Lyion. If it were, I'd be 150 dollars a month richer.

EDIT: bad math

lyion wrote:

Darcler wrote:On a side note, upgrading my linux kernel fixed the MBR issues I was having, though lowering the temp was a side bonus of this who thing.

This is your second box, sir. Denied. Use the $$ for, oh I dont know...food Love you, dont hit me

Do both of you smoke, which is horrid enough with a baby, and another on the way? Cut that off, and add it to the pooter cash![/quote]

Someone has quoting issues. I dont know what the fuck an MRB issue is and I sure as hell dont know how to use Linux. Silly man

yeah, I know. Its just I know ciggs fuck up kids, and Darc and Gidan seem like good people. Babies are the worst for ciggs, with SIDS and other issues at a young age. And smoke clings no matter what.

F the Tobacco industry and their nicotine ways.

I finally kicked smoking for good... going on almost 6 months and no urge to ever start back up again.... UNLESS i drink.... then I start getting antsy. So I had to quit drinking mostly too : (

Now I just drink a lot of coffee and take my aggression out on unruly children.

Fuck cigs.

I quit for 4 years and I started up again about 2 years ago... I smoke about a pack every week or two which is WAY better than I was but still... fuck cigs.

Tossica wrote:Fuck cigs.

I quit for 4 years and I started up again about 2 years ago... I smoke about a pack every week or two which is WAY better than I was but still... fuck cigs.

Yeah, my sister does the same thing. She just can't completely get over them.

We need a real nicotine cure to help people get off ciggs, but big tobacco certainly doesn't want that.

If I had some secret I used I would gladly share it with every smoker having trouble quitting. I dunno. I just quit and never looked back, done, finito.